Screw press

ABSTRACT

The cage of a screw press is divided into two hingedly separable sections for access to the interior thereof to clean and service the cage and shaft. Complementary clamping surfaces on the cage sections join to form a dovetail flange. The flange is clamped together by a removable clamp to hold the cage sections firmly together. Screws in the clamp drive the clamp and the dovetail flange inclined surfaces together to provide a mechanical advantage in holding the cage sections together.

United States Patent [191 Storm 1 Mar. 19, 1974 4] SCREW PRESS [75]Inventor: Robert M. Sturm, Sidney, Ohio [73] Assignee: The French OilMill Machinery Company, Piqua, Ohio [22] Filed: Apr. 24, 1972 [21] Appl.No.: 246,710

[52] US. Cl. 100/145, 24/268 [51] Int. Cl B30b 3/00 [58] Field of Search100/145, 146, 147, 148,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,463,749 7/1923 Pollack24/268 X 2,538,316 1/1951 Killip I 100/145 2,556,499 6/1951 Killip t t100/145 X 3.231.298 1/1966 Tomb et a1, .1 24/268 X FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 464,609 l/l9l4 France 24/268 Primary Examiner-Peter FeldmanAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Biebel, French & Bugg [5 7] ABSTRACT The cageof a screw press is divided into two hingedly separable sections foraccess to the interior thereof to clean and service the cage and shaft.Complementary clamping surfaces on the cage sections join to form adovetail flange. The flange is clamped together by a removable clamp tohold the cage sections firmly together. Screws in the clamp drive theclamp and the dovetail flange inclined surfaces together to provide amechanical advantage in holding the cage sections together.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEBMAR 19 m4 SHEET 1 [1F 2 PATENTEU MR1 9 i974 SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG-2 FIG-3 W SCREW PRESS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to screw presses, and more particularlyto screw presses which are designed for continuous operation. Such screwpresses must on occasion be disassembled for routine or for emergencymaintenance and service, and to facilitate such disassembly, theexterior housing, or cage, of the screw press is usually fabricated intwo or more sections. Due to the extremely high compressive and shearforces present in such screw presses, the cage sections must beexceptionally well united. This is commonly accomplished with a largenumber of large and very strong bolts distributed across the matingfaces of the cage sections. These must be torqued together with greatforce, and as a result considerable time and effort is required todisassemble and reassemble a screw press when servicing becomesnecessary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, a preferred embodiment of thisinvention includes a screw press in which the cage surrounding the shaftis in two longitudinally separable sections. The cage sections each havemating faces which are adapted to be clamped together. Each section hasa flange extending adjacent the clamping surface, and the joined flangesform a dovetail flange onto which a clamp may be placed, to hold thecage sections together.

A generally U-shaped clamp engages the dovetail flange parts along thesloping surfaces thereof. A pair of screws in the clamp may be tightenedagainst the dovetail flange to urge the clamp in a direction away fromthe cage. As the clamp is thus urged, a mechanical advantage is obtainedalong the inclined surfaces of the dovetail flange and the complementarysurfaces of the clamp. As a result, a modest amount of torque applied tothe clamp screws will result in a very much greater clamping force todrive and hold the cage sections firmly together.

The cage sections may thus be joined together easily in a tightly lockedfashion, or separated for servicing, with only a minor amount of labor.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a screw press inwhich separable cage sections may be quickly and easily clamped togetheror separated; in which the clamping or unclamping may be accomplishedwith a minimum of effort and inconvenience; in which a very high degreeof clamping force may be accomplished with the application of a muchlesser force; in which the longitudinally separable sections of the cagehave mating faces adapted to be clamped together along clamping surfacesopposite from the mating faces; in which the clamping surfaces, andhence the mating faces, are held firmly together by a releasable clampmeans; and to accomplish all of the above objects and purposes in anuncomplicated, reliable, durable, and serviceable configuration havingthe high strength necessary for the intended environment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, the accompanying drawings, and the appendedclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial cross sectionalview of a screw press according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the FIG. 1 apparatus taken alongline 22 thereof, and also illustrating the cage sections, in phantom,moved to an open position; and

FIG. 3 is a partial cross sectional view of a clamp and a portion of theflanges of the FIG. 1 device clamped together.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to the drawings,and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a screw pressconstructed in accordance with this invention. Screw press 10 includes ashaft 11 which is driven by a drive 12. Shaft llll is enclosed within acage which is divided into two longitudinally separable sections 15 and16.

The cage is hinged at hinges l9 and to allow the cage sections 15 and 16easily to be swung thereabout into position on their respective cagearms 21 and 22. Each of the cage sections 15 and 16 joins the otheralong respective mating faces 25 and 26. Faces 25 and 26 are, in turn,adjacent flange parts 30 and 31. The flange parts are generallytriangular in cross section, so that when brought adjacent one another,as the cage is closed, they form dovetails. As may be seen in FIG. 1,both the mating faces 25 and 26, at the top and bottom of the cage, areprovided with the dovetail flange parts of this invention.

A plurality of clamps releasably engage clamping surfaces 37 and 38 onthe outside of complementary dovetail flange parts 30 and 31. The clampsare applied at appropriate locations longitudinally along the length ofthe cage, and each clamp 35 includes clamp surfaces 40 which aredisposed at an angle to engage clamping surfaces 37 and 38. Clamp 35 isalso provided with clamp screws which may be turned down against flangeparts 30 and 31 to drive clamp 35 in a direction away therefrom. Whenclamp screws 35 are thus tightened, they will bring clamp surfaces 40against clamping surfaces 37 and 38 to cooperate therewith in providinga mechanical advantage along the inclined surfaces defined thereby. Bythis means a nominal amount of force applied by clamp screws 45 willresult in a very much greater force driving and clamping the cagesections firmly together. The amount of force exerted by screws 45 is infact only approximately 22 percent of that which results between matingfaces 25 and 26.

As a result, the cage may easily be opened and closed. The cage isopened by turning the clamp screws only enough to allow the clamps to beslid off the ends of flange parts 30 and 31. In closing the cage, theclamp screws need only be turned a few turns, with only a nominal amountof force, to bring the cage sections into exceptionally tightengagement.

Flange parts 30 and 31 are also provided with bevels 47 on the endsthereof to guide clamps 35 easily and quickly thereonto, facilitatingreassembly of the screw press. Reassembly of the press is furtherfacilitated by the use of hinges l9 and 20 and arms 21 and 22 whichbring cage sections 15 and 16 immediately into correct alignment whenthe cage is closed.

As may be seen, therefore, this invention has numerous advantages. It isstrong, rugged, is very easily and quickly disassembled and reassembledfor cleaning and servicing, and is readily adaptable to a wide varietyof screw press applications. For example, the cage may be formed ofthree or more sections, each of which may then be joined to the othersby the complementary dovetail flanges and clamps of this invention.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferredembodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes maybe made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a screw press including a shaft and a surrounding cage formed ofat least two longitudinally separable sections, said cage sections eachhaving mating faces adapted to be clamped together, the improvementcomprising:

a. complementary, longitudinally extending clamping surfaces on theexterior of said cage sections opposite from said faces, said clampingsurfaces diverging from one another in a direction away from said cagesections, and

b. releasable clamp means engaging said clamping surfaces to hold saidmating faces of the cage sections firmly together during operation ofthe screw press.

2. The screw press of claim 1 wherein said clamping surfaces form thecomplementary sides of an outwardly diverging dovetail flange with thesections joined, and said releasable clamp means includes clamp surfacesengageable with the surfaces of said dovetail flange and cooperatingtherewith to provide a mechanical advantage to enable the cage sectionseasily to be clamped firmly together.

3. In a screw press including a shaft and a surrounding cage, the cagebeing formed of at least two separable sections having mating faces, theimprovement comprising:

a. complementary outwardly diverging dovetail flange parts on theseparate sections of the cage,

b. releasable clamp means for engaging said dovetail flange parts withthe mating faces adjoining to hold the cage sections firmly togetherduring operation of the press,

c. clamp surfaces on said clamp means engageable with said dovetailflange parts and cooperating therewith to provide a mechanical advantageoutwardly along the inclined surfaces defined thereby enabling the cagesections easily to be clamped firmly together, and

d. means for urging said clamp surfaces outwardly against said flangeparts to drive the cage sections firmly together.

4. In a screw press including a shaft and a surrounding cage, the cagebeing formed of at least two separable sections having mating faces, theimprovement comprising:

a. complementary dovetail flange parts on the separate sections of thecage,

b. releasable clamp means for engaging said dovetail flange parts withthe mating faces adjoining to hold the cage sections firmly togetherduring operation of the press,

c. clamp surfaces on said clamp means engagable with said dovetailflange parts and cooperating therewith to provide a mechanical advantagealong the inclined surfaces defined thereby enabling the cage sectionseasily to be clamped firmly together,

and

d. means including at least one screw operative between said clamp meansand the cage for urging said clamp surfaces against said flange parts todrive the cage sections firmly together.

1. In a screw press includIng a shaft and a surrounding cage formed ofat least two longitudinally separable sections, said cage sections eachhaving mating faces adapted to be clamped together, the improvementcomprising: a. complementary, longitudinally extending clamping surfaceson the exterior of said cage sections opposite from said faces, saidclamping surfaces diverging from one another in a direction away fromsaid cage sections, and b. releasable clamp means engaging said clampingsurfaces to hold said mating faces of the cage sections firmly togetherduring operation of the screw press.
 2. The screw press of claim 1wherein said clamping surfaces form the complementary sides of anoutwardly diverging dovetail flange with the sections joined, and saidreleasable clamp means includes clamp surfaces engageable with thesurfaces of said dovetail flange and cooperating therewith to provide amechanical advantage to enable the cage sections easily to be clampedfirmly together.
 3. In a screw press including a shaft and a surroundingcage, the cage being formed of at least two separable sections havingmating faces, the improvement comprising: a. complementary outwardlydiverging dovetail flange parts on the separate sections of the cage, b.releasable clamp means for engaging said dovetail flange parts with themating faces adjoining to hold the cage sections firmly together duringoperation of the press, c. clamp surfaces on said clamp means engageablewith said dovetail flange parts and cooperating therewith to provide amechanical advantage outwardly along the inclined surfaces definedthereby enabling the cage sections easily to be clamped firmly together,and d. means for urging said clamp surfaces outwardly against saidflange parts to drive the cage sections firmly together.
 4. In a screwpress including a shaft and a surrounding cage, the cage being formed ofat least two separable sections having mating faces, the improvementcomprising: a. complementary dovetail flange parts on the separatesections of the cage, b. releasable clamp means for engaging saiddovetail flange parts with the mating faces adjoining to hold the cagesections firmly together during operation of the press, c. clampsurfaces on said clamp means engagable with said dovetail flange partsand cooperating therewith to provide a mechanical advantage along theinclined surfaces defined thereby enabling the cage sections easily tobe clamped firmly together, and d. means including at least one screwoperative between said clamp means and the cage for urging said clampsurfaces against said flange parts to drive the cage sections firmlytogether.